Well, some scams work because the old adage about a fool and his (or her) money soon being parted still holds true. I read over the weekend that an Asian lady resident here in the UK is too embarassed to admit to her family that she has just lost £500,000 to an investment scam. This is one of a few such scams springing up during the recession, promising investors huge rewards on their investments. The problem is that some people with lots of spare cash (yes, they really do exist!)have nowhere to put their money now that the various Ponzi schemes have gone belly-up and are desperately seeking a home for all their money that will pay more than the measly 2-3% currently offered by the banks. This latest one was quite a sophisticated scam, with the lady being lead on gradually over a number of months - she said that the scammers had professional looking letterheads and brochures - so she was convinced it was a genuine company!! Well, if it worked for Madoff (the clue was always in his name)then it will work for the next generation of scammers.....Think I'll stick to Premium Bonds.